A couple of months back, Thompson/Center said it would chamber its Encore ProHunter muzzleloader for FireStick loads. Now, it says those are available, offering improved performance for muzzleloader hunters.
Return of Thompson/Center @ TFB:
Rethinking muzzleloaders
Federal introduced the FireStick loads back in 2020, creating a sort of gray zone for firearms that aren’t quite a full muzzleloader, but also aren’t exactly a cartridge gun.
You can read our initial write-up here, but basically, a FireStick rifle uses a pre-made charge that you load from the rear of the chamber, similar to a cartridge (you can get break-action FireStick rifles as well as bolt-actions). However, the projectile must still be loaded from the muzzle, same as a traditional muzzleloader. See it demonstrated below:
As Hrachya said at this technology’s debut:
“To sum up the advantages of the FireStick system, what you get is an encapsulated, precisely measured consistent powder charge that is sealed and impervious to moisture, elimination of double charging possibility, safer loading procedure, easier to clean muzzleloading rifle, less hassle when loading because you don’t deal with loose powder and last but not least, you can easily unload the muzzleloader by removing the hull and pushing the bullet out of the bore. As strange as it may sound, the FireStick system brings the muzzleloaders to the 21st century.”
The FireStick Encore ProHunter
Basically, those advantages are what Thompson/Center says their new rifle has going for it. Their PR says the new FireStick rifle “eliminates the inconsistencies of traditional muzzleloading” thanks to its premade charges, with easier cleaning, faster reloading and repeatable shot performance as advantages over the standard Encore ProHunter model.
The FireStick version of the Thompson/Center Encore ProHunter is a .50-caliber rifle with 1:24 twist and a 28-inch fluted, stainless steel barrel. Overall length is 42.5 inches, with a weight of 8.25 pounds (presumably that’s an unloaded weight, with no optic). It comes with their limited lifetime warranty, but it also comes with an $1,150 MSRP. And, it won’t be legal in muzzleloader season in every state, since some jurisdictions don’t allow FireStick rifles in the same season as rifles that are completely front-loaded.
For a full breakdown on the new rifle, check out Thompson/Center’s website here.
